Promote Peace

Just a quick thought I had last week in response to other people's response about the violence and problems in our country...

I'm so sick of everyone hating on the President for everything they think is wrong. He is not the only person who has power to make changes. There are so many people involved in the process, and guess what, you can be too. If you don't like something, don't send out negative hate messages. Promote what you want & love instead, positively & peacefully. If you want the violence to end, saying "I hate Obama" or other people and things only creates more anger & negative energy. What this world needs is love, so start promoting that instead of bashing what you hate.

My New Year's Resolution: Promote Peace, Love, & Happiness :)

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

"Good things come to those who wait."

~~~

"Sometimes what you're looking for comes when you're not looking at all."

~~~

Recently, this has been so true. Every now and then things seem to run on a downward path. Some things don't go right or the way I'd like them to, and I get disappointed. Sometimes I just lose my sense of purpose. But as I start to relax and lose concern about the tiny details, good things start to happen! I might receive a random compliment from someone at school, come across an uplifting article online, or re-discover one of my favorite songs. But most recently, an old friend from highschool contacted me, who I thought I would never talk to or see again. I hadn't talked to him since graduation, almost 6 months ago. It was very surprising. It just made me feel good that I was actually remembered, by someone who I hadn't talked to very much in the first place. Things like this help restore some hope in my life.

~~~

This all makes me realize how important it is to have patience. We all need to learn how to "let go" more, and release some of the control we have on our lives. Sometimes, if you want something, and you try really hard to get it, nothing comes around. Sometimes, waiting is the only thing you can do. Waiting kind of does what sleep does to the brain. It gives time to sort things out. Let's face it, not all of our problems can be solved in one day, can they? You have to have patience. "Sometimes what you're looking for comes when you're not looking at all." This has happened to me. Great people have come into my life, when I least expected it. I wasn't searching for them, but they were waiting there, right under my nose. They appeared at a perfect time, and I am so thankful for them. :)

~~~

Just something to add.. a cover of Jack Johnson's "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing" by The Gaslight Anthem's (one of my favorite bands!) lead singer, Brian Fallon. Enjoy. :)

 

 

Time Flies

After a short weekend spent with my best friend from high school, I really realized how much life has changed. It has been a little over a month since I moved out to college, and so much has happened. So many connections have been lost, while many new relationships have been formed. As I go back and forth between home and other familiar places on the weekends, it seems like I am in a different world. I am seeing the same things, places, and people, but it all appears to be changed in some way. While I have been at school, studying away, the rest of the world has been transforming into something that's almost.. strange. The memories will stay, but the here & now of those places will never be the same.

This makes me see how true it really is that "time flies." If you don't live in the moment, it will be gone forever. So from now on, I am really going to try to live each day to the fullest, and follow the saying "carpe diem." Seize the day! I don't want the world to just go zooming on by while I'm sitting here doing nothing. Of course, I won't be able to capture and keep track of everything that's going on, but I want to be more involved in life! There is so much outside of this tiny dorm room that I am missing everyday. I will not miss a chance to discover something new, and most importantly, I will never lose track of my friends and family. Everything goes by so fast, but I am going to make it worth it, and make it last. :)

http://raynoah.com/2011/10/04/time-flies/

Live In The Moment

Hello, blogging world! I have not posted anything over the summer, but I am coming back! I just completed my first week of college! That seems like such a major step in life, but to me, it hasn't really felt like it. During orientation weekend, I was very surprised with myself with how nervous I wasn't. I wasn't scared. However, I wasn't all that excited either. Somewhere in between, I found a perfect medium. Time was not wasted, nothing important missed, had a lot of fun along the way; everything just felt like it was meant to be. Each moment was recorded, & will be remembered always. The feeling came to me that I am truly "living life." I am happy. Today, now, this is the moment that is occuring, and I am going to live in it.

http://thebeautybean.com/site/wp-content/uploads/live-in-the-moment1.jpg

Every Part Of You Is Just Another Part of Me

Check out this interesting band, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros! I love their music; I wish I could be a part of their little family.. :)

 

This is another favorite of mine. "I want the whole damn world to come & dance with me..." 

 

Live Your Life

I saw this on Facebook over the weekend and I wish I could share it with everyone I know. I love it. This is your life! Live it!

My Quote

This is what I try to tell myself everyday. No matter what happens, it happens for a reason. What is, is. You can't go back in the past to change anything, so just live today, and live it well. You don't know if there will be a tomorrow.

"I do not regret one moment in my life. Some days are better than the rest, but what has happened has happened. And it's happened for a reason. That's all that matters, that I am living life." :)

Stay True To You

This is something that I've kinda been struggling with recently. I heard what another person thought of me, and I became self-conscious about everything. I felt that everything I did was stupid, and that that person was constantly watching me and judging me. But in reality, you have to realize that people really don't care that much. They are not going to remember every single little thing you do, that to you, seems so big. And most importantly, you shouldn't care! Why does it matter what that one person thinks? Because it doesn't! Don't change anything about yourself just to "fit in" or be accepted by someone. People should like you for who you are, not some fake character you are playing. Always be yourself. Do what makes you happy. Do what brings Peace to your life. If you are happy with yourself, people will be happy along with you. Go out there and show them the way. :)

Find Peace In Nature

~Yesterday, I went for a walk and just sat in the grass. There is a special spot I go to, surrounded by trees and beautiful rolling hills, covered with long grass and dandelions. It takes my breath away every time. I like to go there and just sit or lie down, and stare at the clouds in the sky. It is so relaxing, and makes me feel at peace. At peace with the world and at peace with myself. As long as I am on those hills, there is nothing that could remove my happiness, or give me any worry, or make me feel like I don't belong. It is like I am being protected by the nature surrounding me. Mother Earth is watching over me, keeping me safe. 

~Be kind to nature and it will be kind to you. Show the world love and it will make its way back. Find Peace in Nature, explore this amazing world, and find the things that make you happy. Keep them close, in body, mind, and heart. Never let that feeling of great bliss you once had go away.

~My task for you is to go out into nature, take a deep breath, and feel the comfort of nature's peace fill up your lungs and reside in your heart. Treasure it forever. :)

My Hills :)

Respect Yourself

Another great quote by Buddha:

"You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection."

First and foremost, be kind to yourself, and that love will then spread outward to the world. Peace. :)

Don't Worry

I would like to just post a song today. Don't worry, everything's going to be alright. :D

Inner Peace - Inspiration

This is another quote, not necessarily just pertaining to Buddhism, but about learning to control your mind, and the great effects it can have. And always remember to just breathe.. :)

"When the mind begins to become still, we then begin to truly see it. When you first try to stabilize and pacify the mind, initially it will become very busy because it's not accustomed to being still. In fact, it doesn't even necessarily want to become still, but it is essential to get a hold of the mind to recognize its nature. This practice is extremely important. ... Eventually you will find yourself in a state where your mind is clear and open all the time. It is just like when the clouds are removed from the sky and the sun can clearly be seen, shining all the time. This is coming close to the state of liberation, liberation from all traces of suffering. ... The truth of this practice is universal. It isn't necessary to call it a religion to practice it. Whether one is a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian or a Buddhist simply doesn't matter. Anyone can practice this because this is the nature of the mind, the nature of everyone's mind. If you can get a handle on your mind, and pacify it in this way, you will definitely experience these results, and you will see them in your daily life situation. There is no need to put this into any kind of category, any kind of "ism." ~Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche. 

Live A Great Life

I found this inspirational quote and picture on a blog/website that I follow: KindOverMatter.com I love it. In order to have the best day of your life, you need to create it, you need to be in control. Don't let anything or anyone stop you. You have one life to live, so live it! :)

"The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours - it is an amazing journey - and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins." ~Bob Moawad

The Power Of One

This is a pretty cool, inspiring video that I found on YouTube, titled "The Power of One." It has a great message, saying how much power we each have, and that each of our lives do matter. If you can dream, believe, hope, inspire, listen, learn, and create, YOU can make a difference!

My Advice: Think

My advice for the day is for you to think for yourself. Read the quote below, Buddha explains it best:

"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.

Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.

Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.

Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.

Do not believe in traditions simply because they have been handed down for many generations.

But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it." ~Buddha

The Moment of Peace

I have discovered an event that is to take place on March 10, 2012. It is called The Moment of Peace. On this coming Saturday, at 8pm, people all around the world will be in silence for one hour. It will be one hour of Peace. People will put aside their differences and arguments, turn off the television and radio, put away their worries and struggles, and enjoy this moment of peace. There is no specific place or way that this is to be done. Either as an individual or a group, live in silence for one hour. Sit, pray, meditate, or just enjoy this moment of silence and peace with others, and the people of the world. This event is the beginning of a time of transformation and healing, within ourselves, and with the other people that surround us. In doing this, it is showing how we are all united in life and we all have the same goal for peace and happiness. The unified message that this moment sends to the world is the following:

1. That change on a larger scale starts through change in ourselves.
2. There are more constructive and effective ways than war and violence to bring peace.
3. That people from all religious, spiritual, geographic, and cultural backgrounds can actually unite harmoniously under a single, common embracing premise for the betterment of humanity.
4. It is necessary that we teach and experientially show our children how to better manage the human experience – emotions, thoughts, and psyche – to live well, be happy, and create peace.
5. That we can bring peace within ourselves and in our communities by taking time to be silent regularly.
6. That Silence, Meditation, and Prayer are necessary daily life skills for our happiness and peace.

Together, we can prove a point, we can solve problems, we can create Peace, we can make a difference.

For more information on The Moment of Peace, please visit: http://www.themomentofpeace.com/

"Born to Create"

This week, I was at a loss for words and couldn't figure out how to write down what I was thinking. Fortunately, one woman, Heather McCloskey Beck, did. She has written an article for the Huffington Post entitled "Born to Create." Beck says, "It addresses the violence within our world and creating a pathway to peace." I am posting her article along with the link to Huffington Post's website, and I invite you to please read and be inspired to help create Peace in this world.

Born to Create
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/heather-mccloskey-beck/self-expression_b_1308003.html

When nightmarish atrocities within our world are splashed across our headlines, who among us does not experience a deep and profound ache in their heart, accompanied by a hefty dose of abject helplessness? We quietly reflect, wondering what we, as individuals, could possibly do to help, when our own United Nations appears incapable of stopping the slaughter of innocent civilians in Syria -- an abomination of the highest order. We all know this is not the first time insanities of this nature have played out on our world's stage. Genocide is a deeply disturbing collective behavior that has terrorized humanity throughout recorded history. Yes, we are aghast when beautiful children are murdered, families are torn apart, and people torture other people. We wonder what could actually motivate governments to viciously turn on their own people, for religions to bang the drums of war in the name of Love and God, and we wonder how any man or woman could look another human being in their eyes and not see another beating heart who wants to live a safe and peaceful life, just like themselves.

What could possibly be at the root of this abhorrent perversion of behavior? What could possibly motivate any individual, sect, religious or political group or government to exact torturous murder upon those that simply disagree with their ideas? Isn't that the beauty of individuality; that we each have the ability to think and express our own unique thoughts? And shouldn't all people be free to express themselves without fear of persecution?

What, may we ask, is the purpose of life when it seems so many are suffering? We think on these things from the safety and comfort of the lives we are blessed to be living, yet not, perhaps, really grasping the nature of this remarkable gift of life we have been born into. Are we living lives we really want to live, or inadvertently, are we squandering our freedom to be creative, happy beings? Life is the physical, creative expression of that which we are in essence. We are each a part of that Quantum Wave of non-physical essence, born into the individuated form of human being. And as that human being, we bear the capacity to express that creative essence that we are, in our own freshly unique way.

However, when we are not creatively expressing ourselves by doing something we are inspired to do, and simply go through the paces of our routine lives, we will begin to experience an undercurrent of insidious dissatisfaction, as our internal light begins to dim. And when this dissatisfaction continues to fester, eventually it will predictably morph into an ugly brew of frustration, jealousy, anger and potential violence. It is a truth, that when we are not creatively fulfilled, we are not at peace within ourselves, and when we are not dynamically peaceful within our own beings, this is the fractured energy we carry out into our collective world. If this natural, deep yearning to positively create within mankind is left unfulfilled, this dissatisfaction will direct our collective human behavior down a dark and slippery path, much as we are now witnessing within our straining world.

So what can we, as individuals, do to help create a world where love and peace prevail? What power do we have to effect a change where nations will no longer torture and murder their own beloved people?
Know this: We are born to create. While this is a gift, it is also a great responsibility. We must understand that how we feel inside of our individuated selves, directly impacts the rest of the world. We are circles within circles, creating one large sphere of humanity. Much like the Butterfly Effect, the joy and rightness of self-expression can envelop the world in love, or the violence and brutality of force can lead the way. The pathway is ours to choose.

One of the greatest gifts we have as human beings, is the gift of choice. Regardless of circumstance, we have the capacity to choose how we feel. Brilliantly expressed in response to his horrendous incarceration in a concentration camp during The Holocaust, Victor Frankl said, "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."

I truly do believe that the only way to create an enduring peace within our world is for every human being to create dynamic peace within themselves by actively choosing to express their creative genius in their own inspired way. We must choose to work together to accomplish this desired goal, by lovingly supporting one another's beautiful and creative brilliance. We must choose to look into the hearts of other people and see them as exactly that -- people who have heart beats, who breathe, who want to love and be loved, just like us.

So how can we, as individuals, make a difference in creating a more loving and peaceful world? The highest and best thing that we can do is to take that raw energy of who we are and choose to bring it into form, thus creating a life we truly love.

We were born to create. May we embrace our creative gifts and thoughtfully choose our pathway to share them with our world.

I invite you to follow me (Heather McCloskey Beck) on PEACE FLASH on Facebook. Click on the link and LIKE the page there. I also invite you to follow me on HEATHER MCCLOSKEY BECK on Facebook. Click on the link and LIKE the page there too. For more by Heather McCloskey Beck, click Here. Follow Heather McCloskey Beck on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@PeaceFlashHMB

Breathe

Sometimes you reach those days of exhaustion, and you feel like giving up. Life is difficult. One day it can be amazing, another it can be hell. But you can't always get what you want, and everything will not always go your way. So you have to take a break, go for a walk, or just sit down, and breathe. Life will find its way... Just Breathe...

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAVzxvWZtUqMH8vi6a6xk-YalbEI26URFxRtHlVTV2OsWV93JGkVQo2DHWbS0SiU_YqEpvjwODQqas9lE0WrfmH58qRUw26pJj5a5zp8PeV7hIWroN1zzRZXlYH15OAjqx4H_U1yO4zwU/s1600/scenery1.jpg

Are you the problem?

"If you aren't part of the solution, you're part of the problem." I believe this to be true. If people just sit around and don't try to do anything to make this world a better place, nothing will happen. Doing nothing = no change. So I ask you, after you have imagined and dreamed of a better world, full of peace, love, and happiness, you must now DO. If you believe it can happen, you can make it happen. Don't let anyone stop you. They say there's a calm before the storm, but it doesn't necessarily have to be destructive, does it? All of us dreamers now have to act! Along the way, we can support each other, too, and it will be the most beautiful and productive storm ever. :) Good luck, and happy dreaming and doing!!

http://mediumsworld.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/imagine-believe-achieve.png

Be the Change

This world consists of both hard workers and complainers. There are those who try their best everyday, do everything they can to learn and understand, and don't stop until they reach their full potential. Others, on the other hand, do what they think is "good enough" and complain that they aren't rewarded for it, when in fact, they do not even deserve to be. Good people in this world do not get enough recognition. Do you ever see anyone being honored on the news for doing something that benefited the world? Hardly ever, unless they are highly-paid politicians or celebrities. Another thing, those who do not work hard tend to blame those who do for their own problems and things they don't receive. I have personally experienced this recently. It is not our fault. If the people who complain just try harder and actually apply themselves in life, they can get what they want. If there is something you want to do in life, strive for it, and do whatever you can to reach that goal. Life is what you make it. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." Don't blame others for your problems. You have to own them, and fix what you don't like. It is your responsibility, not anyone else's.

Stand Together

I've never been a big fan of Nickleback, but I really do like their new song, "When We Stand Together." They are what I like to call "globally aware." I like songs like these, that are trying to get people to realize that a change is needed in this world. Even if they are just doing it to get more attention for themselves, at least they are doing it in a good way! Listen to the song and tell me what you think:

"Now Is The Time"

"Now is the time." These were the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. on August 28, 1963. I wanted to post his "I Have a Dream" speech because of its great power, meaning, and sense of determination. I could not possibly write as meaningful of words as his. But in the words of King, now is the time for freedom. Now is the time for peace. Now is the time for change. Now is the time for action.

Watch, listen, and follow along. Here is the dream:

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

                Free at last! Free at last!

                Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

We Are One

As you already know, life is not fair and we all do not have equal opportunites. Yet, we are equal. We are all human beings in this world, fighting to live our life, stay strong, and make a name for ourselves. Shouldn't that be enough for us all to have equal rights and be treated fairly? No one person is "better" than another. Who is defining "better," anyway? Many Christians believe that we are all created in God's image, yet these same people judge and make fun of people who are different from them. For example, they may say that homosexual people are "disgusting," "people with no morals," or that they are a "waste of space" and "they should die." But if God was standing next to them would they say that? Of course not. I am not trying to "bash" Christians in any way (I am also Catholic), because there are many good people in this world. I am aware that everyone in this world is not perfect. However, what I don't understand is why they feel the need to say such things. Don't they see how big of hypocrites they are being? Just because someone is different from you and doesn't follow what you believe, doesn't mean you have to put them up on a pedestal, throw your mean insults at them, and treat them like dirt! Doesn't God want us to love each other, and treat EVERYONE with respect and kindness?! Don't you think He would appreciate that? And for everyone, including those who don't believe in God, can't you just imagine, for one minute, how great the world would be if there weren't people constantly getting into fights and insulting each other? Everyone was included, no one left out just because they are "different." People cooperating, accomplishing goals, making progress, and creating a greater sense of love and peace in the world. Doesn't that sound amazing? Also, doesn't that sound like something that God would want? It may not be possible to change all of the world, but that isn't the main goal. What we need to do is change ourselves. We can have equality in this world, but only if you truly want it. If you think that some people in this world don't deserve to have what you have, like happiness, respect, people who love you, and equal opportunities under the law... you need to think again, and again, until you finally realize how horrible that is. We can make a change, but only if you agree to.

A New Beginning

Happy New Year!!

To start the new year out right...

Today's Topic is Kindness.

What this world needs is a new kind of army - the army of the kind. ~Cleveland Amory


A fellow who does things that count, doesn't usually stop to count them. ~Variation of a saying by Albert Einstein


Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. ~Mark Twain


Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness. ~Seneca


Don't wait for people to be friendly, show them how. ~Author Unknown


You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson


The best portion of a good man's life - his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love. ~William Wordsworth

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